Various attempts have been made to provide animal tracks for children. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,485 of McMorrow describes animal track footwear soles wherein animal tracks are molded into a footwear sole for laying simulated tracks of an animal in soft ground.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,167 of Senter describes a sneaker sole with three dimensional picture images inscribed in the sole. The sole is designed so that the wearer, such as a child, can leave an imprint in soft ground. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,168 of Pace describes a footwear with detachable symbols for placing under the sole so that the printing can be varied.
Other attempts have been made to make a detachable sole with a printed indicia thereon. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,754,598 of Aull describes a tracking toy comprising a auxiliary sole member having printed indicia underneath, wherein the auxiliary sole is strapped on by straps around the outside of the shoe.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,897 of Gelineau, while not having indicia imprinted in the sole, describes a sandal member in the shape of a duck track itself, so that the outline of the sandal simulates a duck-webbed foot track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,362 of Wasserman also describes removable indicia for footwear, however, the indicia is placed laterally on the shoe, not underneath the sole for the purposes of imprinting tracks.
Other detachable footwear members include that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,317,020 of Banister which describes the walking block for children, wherein a platform underneath the shoe is attached by straps over the shoe. Auxiliary soles which are attached by straps to a shoe are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,478 of Gilbert.
There have also been efforts to enhance a child's recreation by providing stilts, where upon the child's shoe is elevated above another member, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,609 of Cramer, which is used as a costume device to simulate the lengthening of the child's legs by the stilts underneath the shoe.
Because it is often difficult for the child to be agile while raised above the ground, various patents have been made to provide auxiliary handles to be held while the child's foot or shoe is inserted above or within a member, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,248 of Seligman or U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,753 of Wade.
The problem with these two patents of Seligman and Wade is that the handles are attached by leather straps so there is no restriction of motion to stabilize the child's arm from below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,054 of Rowan describes a pair of stilts having a user foot support; U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,288 of Razon describes a device for assisting running, walking or jumping; U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,037 of McKinley describes a training device for developing roping skills and U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,387 of Roberts describes exercise handles for athletic shoes.
Furthermore, because the straps are flexible and not taut, the child cannot hold the handle in the child's hand while kneeling and use the stilt as a hand-held printing device for printing in the sand or soft ground.